I've gone to Daiichi 1190 for all my dries 8 and smaller. I also like their curved shank, 1270 maybe, for certain flies.

After using MFC hooks for quite awhile because of the low price point and that they are a Montana company (though the materials come from all over the Far East) I was having a lot hooks break of at the bend. And when the outdoor box store starting stocking Daiichi in nearly every style I made the switch.

In case you are interested, Cabelas seems to have the best price ($7.99 per 100) for the Eagle Claw fly hooks, but I never see them in the store. Think it's because they make a lot more money on the Daiichi, Tiemco and Mustad hooks and therefore make it easier for customers to buy those products. I order the Eagle Claw hooks from Cabelas online and if you are close enough to a store, you don't have to pay for shipping if they ship them to a store near you.

As you can see from the conversion chart at this link (HOOK CHARTS), their dry fly hook selection is very limited. Haven't tried their dry fly hooks yet, but the nymph and streamer hooks look nearly identical to other brands.

For standard dries, the TMC 102Y is my fave- like the wide gape and the overall shape of the hook. I totally credit Hans Weilenmann for putting me onto this hook.

For small flies (18 and under) I prefer the Daiichi 1220 and 1222 (Darrel Martin) dry fly hook, again for the shape. The upturned shank is excellent if you're mounting wings or tying thorax style flies- and it provides a wider gape for better hooking qualities. Thanks to Wayne Luallen for "hipping me" to this hook!

Many years ago, I bought a bunch of size 16 and size 14 hooks from Turral of Devon England. Wow....fantastic hooks. They are a bit smaller than the size marked on the boxes. I also have some size 18 Veniard hooks that are great and are very old. They are also a bit smaller than size 18 but not quite as small as size 20. The flies I make with these hooks are not for giving away or selling.

I also have some very old Mustad size 2 streamer hooks that are great. The angle at the head is not as sharp as the more modern Mustad hook.

Other than that, I go to the store and choose the best hooks I can find. What I usually find are Tiemco hooks and they are fine.

I also noted that Mustad now sells a higher quality hook....for a higer price.